Drawing Blood
by sammywinchesterkins
Summary: It's been nine months since the Taylor sisters first ran into the Winchesters on a poltergeist case in Demarest, West Virginia. Now, Mel and Alice are on the hunt of their lives, going after something that has been haunting them for years. When they run into the Winchesters again, it's just the stroke of luck they need. However, in the world of hunters, nothing is ever simple.
1. Prologue

**A/N: **Hey all! Here it is! The prologue to a fic that's been five years in the making. This is a sequel to my fic "Spawn of the Asylum," so if you haven't read it, please do if you can!

As a bit of background, I started SotA back in 2013, then stopped updating in 2014. I recently dug it back up, re-read it, and did my research to finish it. In the process, I found my old plans for a sequel (this fic you're reading right here!). I enjoyed going back to this fic so much that I really, really wanted to continue the story. So I did.

I can't give an exact timing for how often I can update this, but at the very least, there should be a new chapter every month. This fic will also be posted on my Ao3 account, under the username kwhyloren.

**Also! This story takes place after the episode "The Magnificent Seven" (S3 EP1).**

Please leave some reviews if you can! I enjoy hearing from my readers :)

* * *

**Bloomington, Indiana**

**Five Months Ago**

Alice takes slow, deliberate steps across the floor of the ruined house, avoiding any spots that might make noise. The ceiling creaks above her, sending small bits of dust and dirt drifting. She tightens her grasp around the machete in her right hand, raising her other hand to signal to her sister.

In the next room, Mel stands ready, glancing around warily. She deftly makes her way over to Alice, expression grim.

"Three bodies in the dining room, two older, one fresh," she says softly.

"No bodies in the other rooms," Alice replies. "I think our vamp's upstairs."

Mel nods and opens her mouth to say something else, but Alice is already making her way quietly up the stairs. She can feel the waves of anger radiating off her sister, hear the rhythmic thumping of her heart. It worries her, makes her hope she doesn't make a mistake. Anger is dangerous, that much she knows from experience. The dull ache in her chest confirms it.

There's dried blood on the floorboards, Alice notices as she ascends the staircase. Bloodied footprints lead down the upstairs hall, something out of a horror movie. Either this vampire is too sloppy for their own good, or it's a trap. Regardless, there will be hell to pay, she thinks, a surge of anger coursing its way through her. People were dead because of this monster, and she intended to make sure they felt it when she killed them.

The first door on the right is open, leading into an empty bathroom. Alice doesn't even bother to investigate the inside; the stench of blood is so pungent here that it's obvious someone else must have died there. The bloody footsteps lead onward, to the door at the end of the hallway. She lifts the machete, readying herself for the kill.

"Shit," Mel whispers as she makes it upstairs. "This f***er's been busy."

She brings her own machete out of the holster at her hip, wrinkling her nose. There's something off about the blood in the bathroom, but she can't put her finger on it. It doesn't matter anyway, whoever is in there is dead— she can smell it on them.

Alice makes her way to the second door, a bedroom. It looks like a wild dog was set loose. The covers are hanging off the bed, feathers from pillows strewn across the room. She can see the outline of another body wrapped in the blankets. No visible blood, but the shape isn't moving. F**k, that's five dead now, she realizes. There must be more than just one.

"This might be a trap, Al," Mel says quietly behind her.

"I know. We'll hit the last room together," she replies.

"Same tactic as that house in Charlottesville?"

"Exactly."

Mel circles around her sister, starting towards the closed door. Alice follows soon after, weapon at the ready. They get into position, muscles tense. Mel glances at her sister, a familiar look of confirmation. Alice nods. She's ready; her arm's itching to bury the blade deep into the vamp's neck, saw through its flesh.

There's a loud crack as Mel's boot crashes hard into the door, splitting the wood. It comes free of its hinges from the force, falling to the floor with a dusty thump. The two are inside the room within seconds, machetes pointed at the only figure in the room, slouched against the wall.

He gasps, holding his hands up, eyes wide and panicked.

"Wait! don't hurt me, please, I—"

"Mel?" Alice interrupts.

Mel takes a breath, listens in on the silence. There's only one heartbeat that she can hear in this room, which makes the terrified looking man someone like her. Her eyebrows furrow, studying the fear in his eyes, confused at how this one could be their killer.

"Vamp," she states simply.

The man's eyes dart to Mel, and some of the terror in his expression dissipates. It's short lived, though. Alice takes a quick step forward while he's distracted, thrusting her machete through the gap between his hands to dig into the side of his neck and embed itself into the wall. He yelps, hands flying up to grasp at the blade, trying to stop it from moving any further into his neck. Dark blood seeps from his hands, eyes meeting Alice's pleadingly.

"No, stop… _please_, just listen to me," he begs.

"Where are the others?" Alice asks, unphased by his pleas. He's just a beast to her, inhuman.

"I killed them, you had to have seen. Please, let me explain—"

Alice attempts to push the blade in further and he desperately grips it tighter with his hands to stop her.

"Alice," Mel says.

She watches her sister's arms shake with the effort of struggling against the vampire's strength. It doesn't seem like she heard her.

"_Alice,_" she repeats, stepping forward to put an arm on her shoulder. "Wait, let him talk."

Alice shrugs her sister's arm off her shoulder.

"Why should I? I bet he didn't even hesitate a moment when those people downstairs begged for their lives," she hisses. "He's a F**king liar."

"Some of the bodies smelled off to me, he might be telling the truth," Mel says.

The man's gaze moves between the sisters. He looks like a trapped animal, brown eyes wild with the desire to come out of this alive.

"She's right, listen to her. I'm not like them, I'm— I've changed."

Alice's eyes don't leave his face. Her gaze is still cold, calculated. She wants nothing more but to remove the man's head from his shoulders, rid the world of his existence. Doing so will anger her sister, though, and she has learned how dangerous that can be as of late.

"Go check the rooms. I'll hold him here," she finally says.

Mel lets out a long sigh. She gives the man a _don't try anything_ look and heads out of the room, making her way into the bedroom. It's not hard to spot the body, and when she goes to lift the blankets, she finds the corpse is missing a head. She gives it a sniff, makes a face. Yeah, this one was a vampire. That leaves the one in the bathroom; the others downstairs were _definitely_ human. She steps out of the bedroom and walks into the bathroom, flicking on the light. The shower curtain is half-open and spattered with dried blood. Sitting in the tub is another corpse, severed head teetering dangerously on the shoulder. The scent of it is the strange, undead stench she's used to when hunting those of her own kind. Looks like the poor man _was_ telling the truth.

She heads back to the room where Alice is waiting, still staring down the vamp. He glances at her, looking relieved.

"He's telling the truth," she says. "There's a dead vamp in the bedroom and one in the bathroom."

"I told you, I killed them. I couldn't watch them kill any more people so I had to, I _swear_," he says, looking back at Alice.

Her grip on the machete is still tight, expression far from merciful. It almost disappoints her that he's not guilty. Well, perhaps he is— most of them have a little innocent blood on their hands. Mel included.

Mel watches her sister, knowing that she's not going to budge on her own. She places a hand on the handle of the blade, forcing Alice to wrench it away from the man. The second its removed from his neck, the man scrambles sideways away from them, leaving bloody handprints in the carpet.

The man stands, holding his neck. It only takes a few moments before it heals up. He looks at his hands, making sure the gashes in them are sealed before he runs them through his dark, unruly hair nervously.

"F**k, I thought you were going to kill me for a second there," he breathes.

"We still might," Alice comments.

"We aren't," Mel corrects, giving her sister a stern side glance. "Just tell us what happened here."

"The other two, they were okay for a while. We stole a car that had blood bags in it, and it kept us all fed for a while, but then we ran out and… well, they started bringing people here, draining them," he says. "It was awful. So when they made me drink from one of them, I kind of snapped. I had to stop them."

Alice sighs, wiping her machete off on the carpet before sliding it back into its sheath.

"You did the right thing," Mel says.

He looks nervously from one of them to the other, eyes eventually resting on Mel.

"What's your story?" he asks.

"I'm a vamp like you. I kill other vamps and anything else that likes to kill innocent people," she says.

"And… her?" he looks towards Alice.

"She does the same."

He nods slowly, taking in the information.

"Hunters… the others talked about people like you. Said if we weren't careful, we'd be hunted down."

"Yeah, well, some hunters aren't as nice as us. You're lucky someone else didn't come in here and kill your ass," Mel says.

"She's not nice," he says, looking at Alice again.

"She's my sister."

He looks startled.

"Oh. Sorry."

"Let's get out of here," Alice says, turning towards the door. She gives the man a look. "You'd better get gone. If we don't torch this place, the cops will get suspicious when they find fanged corpses."

"What am I supposed to eat?" he asks, looking strangely helpless for a creature of the night. "There's no blood bags left and I don't know where to go. I don't want to find more vamps like the ones I was with."

Mel takes a long look at him, thinking. Her sister will be mad, but she's not about to let this poor guy starve.

"Come with us," she says. "I can give you a few blood bags for the road."

She can already feel the waves of annoyance coming from Alice, but she ignores it.

"What's your name?" she asks.

He smiles a little bit, hesitant.

"Aaron," he says. "My name's Aaron."


	2. Familiar Faces

**A/N:** Hey guys! It's been a week since I first posted this so I decided to post the first chapter! I probably won't be updating this quick again, I just wanted to give you all the first chapter to hype you up for the rest of it :)

If you're wondering how often I'll update, I'm going to say every other week at the very shortest, but just once a month at the longest.

Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think! Enjoy!

* * *

**Present Day**

**Royal Valley Motel**

**Cedar Rapids, Iowa**

**6:22 pm**

"Anything yet?" Alice asks.

Mel looks up from the map that's spread between her and Aaron at the table. It's covered in small marks, some areas circled in black ink, some crossed out in red.

"There's some kind of pattern, but we're not sure," she says.

Aaron sets down his pen and scratches his head.

"They were headed this way, I know that much. I can feel it," he says. "We may have hit a dead end, but we'll pick up the trail again soon."

"That's what you said back in Springfield. It took us a whole month to find the trail again and follow them here," Alice says, laying back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "Are you sure this time?"

"As sure as you are a bitch, yeah," Aaron quips, grinning.

"F**k off."

Mel holds back a laugh, elbows him in the side.

"Leave her be. She's just concerned, that's all," she says.

"Yeah, well, her being concerned is giving me anxiety. Can't go a day without questioning me," he stands up, heading over to the mini fridge. He opens it to grab a blood bag and bites into the tube, sucking some of the blood up through it like a straw. After a few gulps, he stops and adds, "Springfield was sloppy, yeah, but I didn't do it on purpose."

Alice grimaces and rolls over on the bed so she can't see him.

"You know I hate it when you do that shit around me."

"So? I need this shit to live. Sorry if it grosses you out," he takes some more gulps, letting his eyes close.

He'd been thirsty most of the afternoon, but doesn't want to use up too much of their blood supply. He'll have to remember to keep an eye out for a cow or something. Their blood was disgusting at best, but at least then he could gorge himself to the point of being full. Well, full enough.

"You getting hungry, Al?" Mel asks. "We've done enough research for the day. Think it's time to hit up the bar."

"God, yes please. I'd kill for some hot wings," Aaron says, finishing up the blood bag and tossing it in the trash can.

Alice sits up, rubbing her face with her hands. It always feels irresponsible to her to stop thinking about the hunt. Ever since the incident back home with Mel, throwing herself all the way into cases seemed like the best decision. Rid the world of monsters so no one else has to live like she does.

But heading to the bar does sound nice, and after having to put up with Aaron's snark for most of the day, she definitely needs a drink.

"Let's go, then," she says, standing up to glance at Aaron. "You have some blood on your lip, by the way."

"Oh, good," he replies, licking his lips. "Leftovers."

"You're disgusting," Mel says, laughing.

"You love it."

"Damn right I do."

"Get a room," Alice says, pulling on her shoes.

"We have one, you just happen to be here third wheeling it," Aaron replies, shouldering past her and opening the door.

"Don't forget the do not disturb sign," Mel says, grabbing it from the nightstand and heading over to place it on the doorknob. "The police on our asses wouldn't be great."

He doesn't seem to hear her.

"Is this bar within walking distance? Because if not, I call shotgun."

"It's my turn to ride shotgun, shithead," Alice says, walking out.

"Doesn't matter, I called shotgun first."

"Can it, both of you. It's only a few streets away, we can walk," Mel says, grabbing Aaron's hand. "Problem solved."

Alice walks behind the two, feeling out of place. The sooner they follow the trail to find the nest of vampires at the end, the better. For now, though, drowning herself in a few drinks won't hurt.

* * *

**Bottoms Up Pub**

**8:12 pm**

Sam sits at one of the bar tables, nursing a beer that he hasn't touched for the past twenty minutes. The last couple of days on the road have been rough; after their run-in with the seven deadly sins back in Nebraska, both he and Dean are on edge— more so than usual. Especially since…

His heart drops as he remembers. It's something he dwells on whenever he lets his thoughts wander. Dean at the crossroads, making that deal. That _awful_ deal. Every minute he breathes is a reminder that his brother will be burning in hell because of him. Dead in a year. No, he thinks, finally taking a swig of beer. He won't let Dean go. There has to be something; a way out. Dean says it's impossible, but there's no way he'll stop trying. He's not giving up on him. Even if it seems he's already given up on himself.

Sam glances towards where his brother is on the other side of the pub. He's smiling, a shot glass in hand, making conversation with a brunette who seems interested. It's something he can't understand, how Dean is so casual about this whole thing. It doesn't make any sense. He's been indulging himself and acting like nothing is wrong ever since they opened the devil's gate and finally took down the yellow eyed demon. With the deal he made and all those demons set loose, their jobs are far from over. How can Dean not see that?

"Sam?" a voice asks, quiet against the music and conversation.

It's familiar, he thinks, eyebrows furrowing. He turns in his seat and meets eyes with her, feeling his heart leap.

"_Alice? _" he asks in return, dumbfounded. He finds himself smiling a bit.

He hadn't heard anything from or about the Taylor sisters in months. Not since they parted ways back at that diner in West Virginia after the Wellons poltergeist case. It's strange running into her now, he thinks, so far from their usual hunting grounds. It's her all right, though. He remembers those clear blue eyes, that hesitant smile.

"_God_, this is crazy. I didn't think we'd run into each other. Especially not here," she says. "Strange coincidence."

Coincidence. Huh. Suddenly Sam doesn't feel so great about this. The last time he ran into someone by coincidence, it had been a demon, and they just so happened to have recently released a large amount of them from hell. Could Alice be possessed? As happy as he is to see her, he can't let his guard down until he's sure she's actually Alice.

"Yeah, it is… pretty strange. Hey, would you mind doing something for me real quick?" he asks.

Alice blinks before glancing around and leaning in towards him a little more, voice lowered.

"Is something wrong?" she asks.

"No— it's just a precaution," he says, fumbling in his jacket pocket for the flask of holy water he keeps on him. "I hate to do this right now, but I have to make sure. Just hold out your hand."

"Okay," she replies, still looking wary.

She holds out her left hand, waiting expectantly. Sam takes the flask out and unscrews the lid, bringing it over her outstretched palm. He pours a small amount on her, feeling the tension in his body release as the water hits her skin and splashes uselessly to the floor. A relieved sigh leaves him.

"You're fine," he says. "Sorry for getting your hand wet."

He screws the flask shut and places it back in his jacket pocket. Alice wipes her hand on her jeans, furrowing her eyebrows at him.

"It's okay," she says. "You two are on a hunt, then?"

"What? No, actually… we just got done with one back in Nebraska. We passed through here and decided to stop for the night."

"Oh. That's good. It's nice to hit up a bar every now and again to relax."

Sam nods and there's a short pause of awkward silence. He suddenly feels embarrassed and more than a little bit stupid. He runs into Alice again and the first thing he does is pour water on her and not even invite her to sit down. A small puff of laughter leaves him. What is he even doing?

"It's good to see you again," he says, setting his beer down and standing up.

He opens his arms, moving in for a hug. Alice quickly returns the gesture, embracing him. Sam notes how nice it is to hold her again. A lot has happened since the last time they met, but he'd be lying if he said he hadn't thought about her from time to time.

"It's good to see you too," she says, squeezing him slightly before letting go and pulling back.

Sam smiles a little bit and gestures to the table.

"Sit down with me," he says, then quickly adds, "if you want."

Alice laughs and sits in the chair across from him, pushing some of her hair behind her ear. Sam notices, realizing her hair is shorter. It barely brushes her shoulders now. It's a nice look, he thinks, trying not to stare too much.

"Is Mel with you?" he asks.

Alice's smile falters and he's not sure why.

"Yeah, she's around. Probably at the pool table with Aaron."

Sam raises an eyebrow. That's new.

"Aaron?"

She huffs.

"I'd rather not talk about him right now. I usually go to pubs to escape all that," she says, shaking her head. "What about Dean?"

Sam glances towards his brother's last known location. He's still there, but there's two empty shot glasses on the counter near him now.

"Over there."

Alice cranes her neck to look. She lets out another laugh when she spots him. Something about her laugh is off, Sam notes. It's almost sounds hollow. He knows the feeling.

"Dean's still being Dean I see."

He lets out a forced laugh of his own. Of everything, he really doesn't want to talk about his brother at the moment.

"Yeah, he is… so, Alice. I have to ask. Why are you in Iowa of all places? I thought you and Mel lived in Ohio."

"Well, we still do, but we've been… busy lately," she says, glances around again as if they're being watched. "We actually haven't been home in months. This hunt is bigger than we ever dreamed."

Sam's eyebrows raise.

"You've been on a hunt for that long?"

Alice nods.

"It's been a bitch, but it'll be worth it in the end."

Sam opens his mouth to respond, but he's interrupted by a shot glass being placed on the table.

"Sammy, you have to try this shit. Tastes like purple nurple's more awesome cousin or something," Dean says, grinning.

"I'm good," Sam replies, holding up his beer. "Also, we have company."

Dean finally notices the other person at the table. He appears shocked at first, then his grin widens.

"Blondie! Holy shit are you a sight for sore eyes," he pauses, glances around. "Is Mel with you?"

Sam looks annoyed. Typical, that being what's on his mind.

"Dean," he warns.

"What? I got that waitress' number back there, but Mel is something else. I'd love some of that action again."

Alice rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, she's here. She should be over by the pool table… just don't say I didn't warn you. She's with someone."

Dean furrows his brows.

"She's what now?"

Sam shifts uncomfortably in his chair, outrage slowly building in his gut.

"Dean, is this really necessary right now?"

Dean decides that the forlorn shot glass on the table has been there long enough. He picks it up, downs it in hopes it'll keep his jealousy at bay.

"You're damn right it's necessary."

"It's fine, Sam," Alice says. "He deserves to know and so do you. Especially since I want to ask for your help with this."

Sam's expression softens. She's seemed tense this whole time; he just assumed it was the stress of the hunt, but now he thinks something else might be involved.

"Okay," he says.

Dean places the empty shot glass back on the table. He pulls out a chair and sits down, facing Alice.

"Help with what? You on a hunt?"

"Yes. For the past five months, we've been tracking something. I can't tell you much more than that for now. We should talk about this more in private."

All the playfulness has left Dean, it seems. He leans forward in his chair, invested in the conversation.

"Five months is a while," he says.

"I know it seems like a lot, but I know we're getting close to the end," Alice says, voice trembling. "I can _feel_ it."

"What does the guy Mel's with have to do with this?"

Sam glances at his brother, then back at Alice, waiting for an answer. This mystery guy seems to be a sore spot for her.

Alice glances down at her hands, folded in her lap.

"That's another thing I can't get into yet. What I can say is that—" she hesitates, lets out a sigh, "well, I can say that he's like her."

Dean sits up abruptly, a flash of anger coursing through him. Sam feels all the breath leave his lungs, shock taking hold of him.

"Alice…" he starts, voice drifting off as he realizes he has no idea what to say.

Dean leans forward again.

"Like her?" he asks, voice low. "You mean you have another one of _them_ with you?"

Alice grimaces and runs a hand through her hair. She looks so tired, Sam thinks.

"Yes. Look, Dean, I'm not happy about it either, believe me. I hate the guy's guts, but he's helping and that's all that matters right now."

The noises of the pub fill the silence that stretches between the three of them.

"Do you have a safe place we can go to talk about this?" Sam finally asks.

"I do. We rented a room at the Royal Valley Motel— it's about a five minute walk from here," she looks up from her lap and meets Sam's gaze. "Have you two found a place to stay for the night yet?"

Sam shakes his head.

"No, not yet. We usually find a room once Dean's done for the night at the bar."

"I usually get a seperate room," Dean says, back to smirking. "You know how it is."

Alice laughs a little at that.

"Okay, maybe you two can get a room at our motel. Then afterwards we can meet in my room and discuss everything."

"Sammy and I can drive over and get us both rooms," Dean says, standing up. "I'll be right back. I'm going to go tell that chick I was with earlier that I'll be available later tonight. Was nice seeing you again, Blondie."

He lifts a hand as a goodbye to Alice, then pats Sam's shoulder with it before he turns to leave.

Alice waits until he's gone, then turns her gaze to Sam.

"Has he been doing that a lot lately?"

Sam huffs.

"You have no idea. He's a lot worse than the last time you met him."

"That's… a lot to deal with, I'm sorry. I'm going through something similar with Mel and Aaron. Though Mel does try to tone it down around me."

"You're lucky. I walked in on him the other day and I wanted to tear my eyes out."

Alice starts to laugh and can't stop. She puts her face in her hands, and shakes with giggles.

Sam finds himself smiling. A genuine laugh. He feels lucky to have caused it.

"You think my pain's funny?"

"No—" she gasps, moving to wipe a tear from her eye. "Your face… you had this look."

He lets out a small puff of laughter.

"Well, I'm glad someone finds it funny. I'm scarred for life."

Alice shakes her head, smiling. Sam stares at her for a moment. He takes the feeling in, knowing it will probably fade soon. There's another hunt on the horizon.

He hails a waitress to ask for the check. Alice slowly stands.

"I'm going to let Mel and Aaron know what's going on," she says. "See you at the motel?"

"Yeah. What room are you in?" he asks.

"Fifteen. Just knock first."

"Trust me, I'm not making that mistake again. I'll knock."

Alice smiles again and Sam feels warmth flood his chest. It's strange, feeling that way after everything that's happened recently. It scares him. If he's learned anything since he started hunting again, it's that happiness is a sudden flame often extinguished.

He watches her disappear among the patrons, wondering how long their fire will last.


	3. Meeting of Minds

**A/N: **Hey all! Back with another chapter! This has been written for a couple weeks, but I wanted to give myself time to keep writing. As of right now, though, I think I'll stick to monthly updates just so it's easier on me and I don't get writer's block.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please comment if you enjoyed, it really helps motivate me :)

* * *

**Bottoms Up Pub**

**9:46 pm**

Mel leafs through the wad of cash they made for the night. It's really easy to hustle people once you know how to read them; she can spot a drunk that's too cocky for their own good from a mile away nowadays. An arm slides around her waist.

"Sometimes I wonder if I was ever that stupid when I was human," Aaron says softly.

Mel chuckles and pockets the money.

"I think the answer to that would be yes, considering you're stupid sometimes now," she replies.

"Ouch. You really know how to hurt a guy's feelings, M. Good thing I don't give a shit about opinions," he says, removing his arm from around her. "Spot any more victims?"

Mel shakes her head.

"Not yet, but there will be. Stragglers always show up the later it gets."

Aaron nods sagely, then wrinkles his nose, spotting someone in the crowd.

"Ah, f**k. Speaking of stragglers, bossy is here," he says.

Mel raises her eyebrows and turns to see Alice headed towards them. She seems… strangely happy. It's unusual, considering how she's been acting lately— and considering everything they've been going through.

"Al, what's up?"

"You'll never guess who I just ran into," she says.

Mel's eyebrows furrow as she thinks. They don't run into people often; neither of them really made friends with normal people, let along other hunters. Maybe it was something else?

"A lead?" she guesses.

"Kind of, but no," Alice pauses, waiting for her sister to guess again, but Mel's takes too long. "Sam Winchester. Dean's here too."

The sound of their names makes Mel freeze with disbelief. Her body buzzes with energy; she's not sure if it's nerves or excitement yet. Maybe a little bit of dread?

Aaron crosses his arms.

"I've heard of the Winchesters. You two know them?" he asks, suddenly stoic.

Mel doesn't say anything.

"Yeah, we do. We ran into them several months ago and did a hunt with them," Alice says.

Aaron raises an eyebrow.

"Okay. So what'd you say to them when you ran into them?" he asks, eyes wandering towards Mel. Her reaction to this news interests him.

Alice glances at him, but when she answers, it seems like she's talking to her sister.

"I asked them to help with the hunt."

"You _what?_" Aaron says, arms dropping to his sides in shock.

"You heard me. They were lifesavers last time we hunted with them, and we need more eyes on this one. It's too big for just the three of us."

"That's a bad idea. They'll kill me the second they see me."

"No they won't," Mel finally says. "They won't kill you. They didn't kill me."

There's a softness to her tone that rubs Aaron the wrong way, but he doesn't mention it.

"Look, more eyes on something might sound good in theory, but I can tell you right now this is a mistake," he says. "More people means more chances to alert the rest of the vampires left to what we're up to. They'll know we're on their trail."

Mel bites her lip. What Aaron is saying makes sense, but she can't take her mind off of the fact that they somehow ran into the Winchesters again— especially at a time like this. If she didn't know any better, she'd say it was fate. Part of her is excited to see Dean again, but then again, she's wary of what Dean will think or do when he finds out about Aaron. Neither of them seemed like the type to make friends with each other. Regardless of that, though, they _did_ need more help on this one.

"Listen," Alice says. "They're meeting us in the motel room soon. I say we talk it over with them and see how it goes."

"Once they know all the shit we know, they'll butt in anyway. That's what hunters do," Aaron argues.

"Doesn't matter. I've made my decision. Mel?"

Mel takes a breath and avoids looking at Aaron.

"I think we should meet with them," she says, then adds, "what all have you told them so far?"

Alice knows exactly what she's asking.

"I told Dean about you two, and they both know how long this hunt's been," she replies. "They also know about your… blood problem, Aaron."

That makes red hot anger swell in his chest, but he holds it at bay as best as he can.

"Oh, that's just _fantastic._ Let the trigger happy hunters know I'm ripe for the picking."

Alice smiles.

"Trust me, it's better this way."

* * *

**Royal Valley Motel**

**10:25 pm**

The Impala pulls into the motel parking lot, making its way toward the parking spots near room 15. Sam spots the old red Camry first and nods in its direction. Dean slows to a stop next to it and shakes his head, putting the car in park.

"Can't believe they still drive that thing," he says. "I would have gotten something more badass looking by now."

"It blends in a lot easier than ours," Sam counters. "Anyway, you were saying something before."

"Right. About this whole vamp dude situation," Dean says. "I don't know how I feel about it. I mean, normally, it's shitty to know one of your old flames has moved on anyway, but with a fang? I dunno, it seems off to me."

"Maybe," Sam says, nodding. "It could also just be that he's like-minded. The way Alice talked about him though… she definitely doesn't like him. Or trust him."

"If anything, I do trust Mel. I just don't know if she has good judgement about this guy. Guess I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now, for her sake," Dean says, opening the car door. "Bet you're happy, though, huh? Seeing blondie again."

Sam rolls his eyes and gets out of the car, avoiding the question. He _is_ happy to see her again, he just isn't in the mood to deal with his brother's teasing at the moment. There are more important things they need to do. Dean takes Sam's silence as a hint and motions towards the lobby.

"I'll go get us set up with rooms, you should meet up with them first," he says.

It's better for him to go in first since he can get a better read on the vamp, Dean reasons. Sammy was always good at that. He's totally not trying to put off seeing Mel again. No way.

"You're seriously getting your own room?" Sam asks.

Dean grins.

"Well yeah. Thought you wouldn't want to walk in on porno again."

Sam lets out a huff and waves him away.

"Just go, I'll meet them now," he says.

Lines of light peek out from the motel room windows, eclipsed on either side by thick curtains, half-shut. Sam makes his way to the door, eyes skimming over the golden '15' nailed into the door. He pauses a moment, waiting to see if he hears any voices coming from inside. A couple of muffled voices sound from inside and he raises his hand to knock.

The voices quiet and he hears footsteps approach the door. There's a pause before he hears locks turning and it opens, Alice's face greeting him. She smiles the moment she makes eye contact with Sam and it makes him feel self-conscious.

"Come on in," she says, stepping to the side.

He obliges, taking a few steps into the room and stopping when he sees Mel. Her appearance is exactly the same, but the look in her eyes is different. He can't pinpoint what it is, though.

"Hey, Mel. Good to see you again," he says.

She nods, smiling faintly.

"Likewise," she says, taking a pause before adding, "where's Dean?"

"He's getting us rooms for the night," he replies, glancing over to the other person in the room, standing not too far from Mel. "So… I'm guessing you're Aaron?"

Aaron gives Alice a look that Sam doesn't like very much.

"In the flesh," he answers. "She told you what I am?"

"She did, yeah."

"So you're not going to kill me?"

Sam raises his eyebrows.

"No, of course not," he says. "We've met vampires before who aren't monsters. Mel is one of them. If you're with her, I don't have a problem."

Aaron's posture relaxes slightly, but his expression is far from trusting.

"Well, you reacted a hell of a lot better to me than Alice did. She put a machete to my throat."

Alice shoots him a glare. Sam's surprised by the amount of hatred in her gaze.

"We've been over this, I had every right to suspect you because of what I saw in that house," she says.

"It's always guilty until proven innocent with you, isn't it?"

"Guys, that's enough," Mel interrupts.

Alice lets out a sigh.

"I won't get into the big details until Dean's here, but this hunt is important to us. We need all the help we can get," she says. "This is one thing we can't mess up."

Sam recognizes the resolve in her eyes. It reminds him of himself, not even that long ago with the yellow eyed demon. The need to find him, kill him. No matter the cost.

"This hunt… does it have to do with vampires?" he asks.

"Yes. We want to take down the whole nest, but we're also looking for one guy in particular," she says.

"The bastard who turned me," Mell adds, "and killed our family."

That gives Sam pause. He figured that something tragic had happened to the sisters, since Mel was a vampire, but they hadn't mentioned anything specific until now. He knows the pain of losing family. His mother was one thing; he never knew her except in memories and the brief time he saw her ghost, but the empty space in his life she left was still a sore spot, a yearning he'd never get over. Losing his father was another thing entirely. The void he left was gaping, and the guilt of arguing with him so much still gnawed at Sam's heart from time to time. Worst of it all, though, was Dean. Knowing that if they continue the way they are that he'll be dead in the next year— it makes him feel sick. To lose a whole family in one night? Unthinkable.

"Oh," he says. "I'm sorry."

Alice nods slowly.

"Thanks. It's been about five years since, but it never gets any easier," she says. "I think… once we waste this guy, we'll sleep a little easier, knowing he won't hurt anyone else like he did us again."

"He'll get what's coming to him," Mel says.

There's a knock at the door and Sam notices Mel stiffen at the sound.

"I'll get it," Alice says, heading over to peek through the spyhole in the door.

She opens it and Dean walks in, looking aloof. The door closes behind him and he glances around the room, eyes stopping on Mel. She meets his gaze for a moment and a dull ache starts up in his chest. He tries to keep his expression even.

"Mel. It's nice to see you," he says.

She nods in reply, giving a quick glance in Aaron's direction before returning her gaze to Dean.

"Yeah, you too."

Dean's gaze moves to who he considers the elephant in the room. He really hadn't expected that Aaron guy to look the way he does. Kind of lanky, messy dark hair. If he didn't know what the guy was, he'd think he was just some scrawny dude who thinks he's cool because he owns a motorcycle. He almost reminds him of that guy Andy who had psychic mojo like Sam used to, until he was killed. Dread gnaws at his insides as his mind gets dangerously close to thinking about that demon deal he made for Sam. He forces it back.

"And you're Aaron?" he finally asks.

"I am," Aaron replies slowly, studying Dean.

"Cool, so we're all caught up on names. Now what's this hunt about?"

Alice glances at Dean.

"We were waiting for you before we talked about specifics," she says. "The gist of this whole thing is that we're tracking vampires. There's a nest at the end of this trail somewhere, and the best outcome is that we destroy the whole thing, but… there's one guy in particular we want dead."

She motions to the table on the opposite side of the beds. They all head over, gathering around to go over everything. The table is absolutely covered in papers. News articles, maps with markings, and a single old mugshot of a mean looking man.

"This guy," Alice says, tapping the picture.

"Okay. What's his deal?" Dean asks.

Sam glances at his brother.

"He's their yellow eyed demon."

Dean grimaces slightly.

"f**k that guy, then. We'll gank his ass. What's all this other stuff?" he asks, motioning to the maps.

"Their trail," Aaron speaks up. "It's why I'm here. I was part of their nest when Mel and Alice found me."

Sam nods.

"And… you know where all of them are?" he asks.

"No, not all of them. I have a general idea…" he trails off, glancing towards Mel. "Before I say anything more, are you sure you trust these guys? No offence, but I've only ever heard horror stories about you two."

Dean eyes Aaron.

"Only monsters have to worry about us. So unless you're one of those, you don't have to worry about it," he says.

Aaron glares at him, hand at his side forming into a fist.

"You hunter types throw around the word 'monster' a hell of a lot."

Dean shrugs, meets his glare with a warning glance of his own.

"It comes with the gig."

Sam can feel the tension in the room rising.

"Look, Aaron, we're not here to fight with you. We genuinely just want to help Alice and Mel," he says. "We're on the same side here."

Aaron gives him a long look, and Sam can see the mistrust in his gaze falter slightly before he looks back down at the map. He points to a spot near Bloomington, Indiana, which is circled in red ink.

"They found me here," he begins. "I was part of a small group, only five of us, including me. Two of them left our place before anything happened and I killed the other two not long before these two showed up. The ones that got away left a trail, albeit a pretty shitty one. They've been getting harder to track lately. We've been following them and taking care of other small nests like the one I was in along the way."

His finger follows the trail that's marked across the map, and Sam notices that his fingernails are painted black. He stops at Springfield.

"They threw us for a loop here, we were stuck there a whole damn month."

"So how do you know the two you're tracking are involved with this asshole you want dead?" Dean asks.

"After we teamed up with Aaron," Mel says, "we looked into some of the names of the other vampires he knew about. The guy we're after was one of those names."

"When we looked him up, this mug shot from the seventies came up," Alice says, motioning to the photo. "Peter Weldt. The guy hasn't aged a day."

"The second I saw his picture, I remembered that face," Mel says. "There's no mistaking it."

Dean nods.

"Have you found any leads here yet?" he asks.

Alice shakes her head.

"No, we just got here this afternoon," she says.

"Right, well, we're in. We'll help you waste that son of a bitch." he replies.

"Yeah," Sam adds. "Definitely. This guy has to go down, one way or another."

"Just so both of you know," Aaron says, "this nest isn't just some random thing. It's big. Probably bigger than either of you have faced before."

Dean gives him an incredulous look.

"You sure about that? We've taken on a full farmhouse of them before."

Aaron narrows his eyes at Dean.

"Yeah, I'm sure. These smaller nests like the one I was in are just smaller cells. They all have leaders that answer to Weldt. There's a whole f**king system. He has leaders all over the map. We found them in Indiana and Illinois, now here in Iowa. It could stretch further than that."

Sam shifts his weight uncomfortably and glances at his brother.

"I thought dad's journal said that vampires were becoming extinct?" he asks.

Dean sighs.

"Well, we ran into that nest in Colorado, and some of them got away when we had to leave," he says. "Dad said Elkins prided himself in almost hunting them to extinction but… doesn't seem like that was true."

"As good as most of you hunters think you are at what you do, some vampires are better at hiding than others," Aaron says. "It takes having an eye on the inside to get to the root of everything."

Dean tries to keep his facial expression neutral, but he's definitely glaring at Aaron now.

"And you think you're getting close to the main nest?" he asks, gaze moving to Alice.

"Close enough to ask for your help," she says.

Sam nods.

"So what were you thinking? Steak the town out in the morning?" he asks.

"Seems like the best thing we can do right now."

"Cool, we can all head back to our rooms, then," Dean says, straightening his leather jacket. "I have my own meeting to get to."

He pretends he doesn't see the flash of— something, he's not sure what —in Mel's gaze. Whatever it is, he's sure she doesn't feel great about his current escapade. In all honesty, though, he doesn't have the strength to care. She's with Aaron, and it would be shitty to get involved with her again anyway, especially with his death certificate signed and waiting for him in hell.

"Room four, Sammy" he says, flashing a smile.

He pulls the room key out of his pocket and tosses it his brother's way. Sam's hand shoots up to catch it.

"Seeya," he adds, heading for the door.

Sam lets out a small sigh and gives Alice a glance, shoving the key into his own pocket.

"I think I'm going to go too," he says, hesitating slightly before he continues, "you're welcome to come with me. I know you probably don't want to go through what I did with Dean."

He doesn't know how she's shared a room with Mel and Aaron this far. Alice smiles at him, and he notices the light flush of color in her cheeks.

"Sure. I just need to get my things."

"Okay. I'll wait, then."

Sam watches as Alice heads over to one of the beds and starts packing some things into a suitcase. He feels eyes on him and glances over his shoulder. Aaron's giving him what can only be explained as a shit-eating grin.

"You two, huh?" he asks.

Sam raises his eyebrows, then scratches the back of his head.

"I'm just letting her stay with me so she doesn't have to room with you two," he says.

"Uhuh. Sure," Aaron chuckles to himself.

Sam opens his mouth to say something, but the feeling of Alice grabbing his hand distracts him.

"Hey Aaron? F**k off," she says. "Let's go, Sam."

She gently tugs at his hand and he gives Aaron and Mel a last glance before following her out the door. When they get outside, neither of them let go of the other's hand. It's a short, but quiet, walk to room four.

Sam reluctantly lets go when he has to unlock the door. His hand feels cold as he turns the doorknob and holds it open for the both of them.

"Thanks for this," Alice says, heading inside.

"Of course," he says, reaching over to flip the light switch.

He freezes. Oh… there's only one bed. Alice turns, raising an eyebrow at him, though she looks just as flustered as he feels.

"Dean must have assumed I'd have the room to myself," he guesses.

"Or he knew you'd offer to let me stay with you and thought this would be funny."

That does seem more likely of the two, he thinks. He's going to get him back for this.

"It's fine," Alice says. "We've shared a bed before, right?"

"Right," he nods, feeling his awkwardness building up.

She smiles and sets her stuff down, getting a small bag out before heading towards the bathroom. Sam glances at the bed, remembers what it felt like all those months ago to sleep next to her and wonders if she feels as fondly about it as he does.

He doesn't get his hopes up.


End file.
